Page 73 of Anchored

Her heels dig into my ass, helping me surge into her over and over again. And then I feel it. That tightening of her muscles around me. A flutter at first and then a vise grip as she whimpers into my neck. I let myself go, that pleasure I kept at bay with a thin grasp is now free to flood my body. I feel nothing except for Maple. Around me, in me, blanketing all my senses.

All too soon, the noise from outside invades our little bubble, and Maple pulls her head off my shoulder, cheeks pink, eyes sparkling. “I better get cleaned up.”

I press a kiss to her lips, lingering for just a moment longer. “Or you can just put your dress and underwear back on and don’t clean up. You can feel me the whole time we’re at the pool.”

Her cheeks go a shade of pink darker, but I can tell from her eyes that she loves the suggestion. “I love you,” she whispers.

“I love you too,” I whisper back and help her stand back up.

She pulls the muumuu down from where it had bunched around her waist. She’s still got the lei around her neck. I tuck myself back inside my jeans and tilt my head to the side, watching her begin to walk out of the kitchen.

“Can I make one request?”

She spins back around, looking like a supermodel if they allowed short women among them.

“Can you wear muumuus when we’re married?” I look her up and down, already wondering how quickly I can have her again. Our grandparents knew what they were doing with those sleeping garments. “They’re fucking hot.”

Her peal of laughter carries through the condo as she heads for Gracie’s bedroom to get changed. I open cabinets until I find some cleaner and paper towels. I sterilize the whole kitchen, feeling a little guilty for defiling Gracie’s kitchen like that. Then again, who knows what she’s doing to Grandpa when we’re not here. I give him a mental high five. The McGraths got game, what can I say?

When Maple comes back out again, she’s barefoot, but back in the dress from last night. Her hair has been finger-combed to not look like she just had sex on a kitchen counter and her layers of gold necklaces are back on. The fake ring of flowers is back on too, giving the whole outfit a festive flair. The diamond on her ring finger sparkles in the overhead kitchen lights.

She’s gorgeous.

And she’s mine.

I hold out my hand and she takes it, threading our fingers together.

“Let’s go get lei’d again.”

She grins and we head out, getting congratulations from everyone we pass on the way to the pool. Debbie’s barking orders at the kitchen staff who probably just got done making breakfast and weren’t expecting to make appetizers and cocktails at nine in the morning.

In the corner of the pool deck, the tiki bar’s grass skirt is fluttering in the breeze. The sun is already warm and people have entered the pool, sunblock and swimsuits donned. Music you’d hear on a cruise to Hawaii begins to flow through the speakers built into the fake rocks around the pool enclosure. The first drink with a bright pink umbrella gets passed to Gracie and Grandpa. I frown, heading their way.

I pull the drink out of Grandpa’s hand and take a sip. My eyebrows nearly hit my hairline from the strong liquor that almost overpowers the fruit juice. “Whoa. Careful with that.”

Grandpa frowns at me. “I’ve been handling my liquor for longer than you’ve been alive, boy.”

I hand it back to him and flag down Debbie. “I thought we weren’t doing alcohol?”

Debbie has the good graces to look sheepish. “They’re old people, Holt. They deserve to have some fun, don’t you think?”

I wonder if she ever told the kitchen staff to stop serving alcohol and then decide I don’t want to know. Debbie hands another drink to Maple—this one with a purple umbrella—who eagerly takes a sip and lets out a whoop of appreciation.

I shake my head at the women in my life, unable to stop the smile on my face. I have a feeling I might be smiling nonstop for the rest of my life. “If anyone climbs up on a table and breaks a hip, it’s on your head.”

Debbie waves away my concern. “That’s what liability waivers are for. Now go have some fun with your fiancée.”

She literally pushes us away, barking more orders at the staff while running over to help Sue Ellen get her wheelchair through the pool entrance.

Maple hands me her drink. “You’re off duty, Mr. McGrath. It’s time to celebrate the summer.” She’s right. I’ve hired good staff, purposely making my own contributions redundant. And summer’s almost over. I want to celebrate every second of it. After all, this summer was the one that brought Maple back into my life.

I take a sip of the strong drink, then deposit the cup on one of the lounge chairs ringing the giant pool. My arms slide around Maple’s waist to pull her into my chest.

“Dance with me?”

No one else is dancing but neither of us seems to care. She puts her hands on my shoulders and lays her head on my chest, and we dance the day away, surrounded by family and residents who’ve become friends. I love that she doesn’t mind sharing our engagement with a whole retirement home of old people.

When her shoulders have gone pink from the sun and her drawled words tell me she’s just on the edge of tipsy from the drinks Debbie keeps shoving our way, I put my lips to her ear.

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